Charleston is one of the South’s most romantic and historic cities. I have been visiting the Holy City since 2007, reveling in its stunning melange of pinks, yellows, blues, brick, and beyond colonial-era homes, surrounded by water on three sides.
This sunny, palmetto-lined peninsula city is small enough to be easily walkable, which means it’s mobbed with tourists and bridal parties much of the year. It’s also a city of difficult contradictions and a dark history as a slave trade center. A thoughtful recent article in Condé Nast Traveler acknowledges the struggle and encourages visitors to consider “leaving nostalgia behind” when it comes to this beautiful city.
The region’s fantastic, seafood-heavy, Lowcountry cuisine is unparalleled. West Africa, France, England, and the Caribbean influence this distinctly Southern cuisine, with much of its glories owing to enslaved people from West Africa. Landmark dishes include creamy she-crab soup, frogmore stew (a boil of sausage, shrimp, corn, potatoes, and onions), and maybe the most famed dish, shrimp and grits. Related but distinct from Lowcountry cuisine, Gullah Geechee cuisine also hails from enslaved West Africans transported to South Carolina’s nearby Gullah islands and “Gullah Corridor” coastline. They brought their farming methods and agricultural riches like okra, rice, peas, peanuts, watermelon, and beyond. Also highlighting abundant local seafood, signature Gullah Geechee dishes include okra soup, red rice, and Hoppin’ John — a peas and rice “stew” or pilau. Then there is South Carolina’s unique barbecue style, heavy on pulled pork and mustardy sauce.
Certainly the rich culinary history of the region influences some of Charleston’s co*cktail scene, especially at more culinary-focused bars like The Gin Joint. But so does a centuries-long history of rum, Madeira, and brandy. CHS’ local distillery scene was jump-started by High Wire Distilling Co., which opened in 2013. Since then, Charleston’s craft distilling scene has grown with producers like Charleston Distilling Co., The Striped Pig Distillery, Firefly Distillery, Nippitaty Distillery, Cannon Distillery, Beyond Distilling Company, and Virgil Kaine, our distillery interview this issue.
I last covered Charleston and ten of its best bars for Distiller in 2018. This visit, I didn’t have a chance to revisit Proof, The Belmont, and Edmund’s Oast, but historically, they have been among the best in the city.
The Gin Joint
For me, The Gin Joint remains Charleston’s ultimate and best co*cktail bar — and one of the greats in the country — not only due to owner James Bolt pioneering menus since 2010, but thanks also to Bolt’s ideal balance of geeky, thoughtful, interesting drinks with laid-back, comfortable service. In the dim, intimate space, I can expect drinks I won’t often see, served graciously, and an excellent craft spirits collection.
Drink This: Drinks change regularly and seasonally. Recent standouts included the garden fresh, vegetal Rest & Recreation, a spring beauty of light rum, snap pea cordial, Strega, apricot, honey, and lime. Pardon My Garden is likewise refreshing, combining lemon verbena-infused gin, lemon, genepy, Acqua di Cedro Nasturtium, house tonic, and green strawberry bitters. Good Fortune, Friend is a clarified milk punch of gin, mango, cardamom, star anise, Amaro Nonino, lime, salted honey, and Bolivar Bitters that showcases Bolt’s deft hand with balance and nuance.
The Ordinary
One of Charleston’s greatest bars, this rum haven showcases rum, spirits, and even refined tiki co*cktails. It’s also one of Charleston’s great seafood/oyster bars. Fill up on seafood crudo or fresh stone crab from nearby shores while The Ordinary’s knowledgeable staff, long bar stocked with an impressive rum and spirits collection, and impeccable co*cktails confirm why it’s been one of SC’s best for over a decade.
Drink This: While you’ll never do wrong going with a daiquiri here, including their variations like #5 Daiquiri with ten-to-one dark rum and beet acid, house drinks are creative crowd-pleasers. The delightful Con Cola mixes Santa Teresa 1796 rum with Fernet Branca, a beaujolais red wine cordial, a bit of Coca-Cola, and citrus zest. Served up in a coupe, Trini Breakfast shows off St. George’s Dry Rye Gin with toasted caraway (evoking aquavit), bright with lemon and guava jelly.
Pickled Beat at Harold’s Cabin
Launched January 2023 upstairs inside Harold’s Cabin, Pickled Beat is a funky hidden bar inside a building in the middle of a residential neighborhood that dates back to the 1920s. Owner John Schumacher opened its current iteration in 2016. Playing off downstairs’ hipster cabin and hunting lodge feel, The Pickled Beat charms with strung Christmas lights and Chinese lanterns, a record player, and mid-century and 1970s garage sale furniture. It feels like chilling at a cool friend’s house with friendly bartenders, great tunes, smashburgers, and salads from chef Taylor Hodgkins.
Drink This: Beetlejuice is a house signature for a reason. This nod to their name showcases earthy beets with rye whiskey, bitter amaro, cherries, thyme, and lemon. A rosemary sprig is smoked in the blanco tequila, lime, and rosemary Salty Racoon co*cktail, while boozy Chinese Weather Balloon shows off Charleston’s own Nippitaty organic gin with ruby port and Campari.
Citrus Club at The Dewberry
Despite a mixed experience staying at the fabulously mid-century-style Dewberry hotel, their 8th floor rooftop bar, Citrus Club, is the spot in town to take in Charleston views, from river to river, steeple to steeple, dramatically facing Mother Emanuel A.M.E. Church. Reserve ahead — especially for sunsets —on the olive and citrus tree-lined patio, or prepare to wait for an outdoor seat, while the indoor bar is sunny in peachy salmon pinks and warm woods.
Drink This: Kate Proudy came on as bar manager in July 2022, engaging each of her bartenders by having them create a drink on the menu. These are $20 co*cktails, but you’re paying extra for that view. Drinks are crushable crowd-pleasers, like a Garden mojito verdant with St. George Spirits basil eau de vie, vodka, Italicus Bergamot Liqueur, mint, and lime. Smoke Screen is more layered and bold with Dos Hombre Mezcal, Giffard Banana Liqueur, Aperol, and lime.
Doar Bros.
Opened in 2018 on a touristy stretch of Meeting Street, Doar Bros. draws in co*cktail geeks and tourists alike to the tiny, chic bar in navy blues and dark greens. Run by co-owners and brothers Jonathan (JD) and Adam Doar, service is gracious and knowledgeable from a team that cares about craft co*cktails and spirits.
Drink This: The menu is a focused, seasonal approach to classics, house drinks and rotating seasonal punch, alongside snacks like addictive brown butter truffle popcorn. JD’s Bourbon and Clyde has (understandably) been on the menu since early days, a frothy mix of Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Old Forester 1897, genepy, Fernet, vanilla bean, egg white orange foam, and crumbled, toasted pistachio. Hahn’s Provisions is a refreshing, sophisticated co*cktail of Tanteo Tequila Blanco, a touch of Giffard Peach Liqueur, macadamia milk, mint, basil, lemon, habanero bitters, and a dusting of bee pollen.
Sorelle
Opened February 2023 from the San Francisco-based Michael Mina restaurant group, Sorelle is a gorgeous, two-story Italian restaurant, bar, and mercato selling upscale Italian groceries, coffee, and gelato in a 1700s building on Broad Street. Italian cuisine is the focus in the chic dining room and lofty bar, centered by a striking marble horseshoe bar.
Drink This: Mina’s national bar director, Mike Lay, and Sorelle’s team craft a drink menu heavy on spritzes and negronis but also on house delights like a Lambretta, a Campari and Aperol spritz carbonated to order with orange-cream soda and acidified white wine cordial. Served tall over ice, it’s bubbly, silky, gently bitter, and utterly crushable. The blessedly not-too-sweet Rosetta is elegant, served up in coupe glass with Wonderbird Gin, Rinomato Bianco, lemon, strawberry, rose pink peppercorns, and vegan foam. A fully-stocked wine room offers a wealth of Italian wines.
Dalila
Debuting February 2019, Dalila’s small, high-ceilinged industrial bar is warmed by tropical wallpaper, neon signage, and a changing board of “stuff we like” (think deli sandwiches and co*cktail specials like mango Mai Tais). The bar is especially warmed by kind service from a tight team (Ellery and Fabiana on my visit), run by founders Michael Whiteley and Timur Dmitriyev. It’s a favorite late night industry hangout for good reason.
Drink This: Loose Caribbean themes mean rum drinks and tropical fun abounds, but there is a little something for all here, from a rotating “fruity vodka drink” on draft, to more craft-friendly Adios Chico, a bubbly, smoky spritz of mezcal, Cynar, house ginger syrup, and Cava. Drinks walk a fine line of fun and quality, combining rhum agricole, cachaça, and Wray & Nephew overproof rum in a grassy, funky house daiquiri, or going for peanut butter banana vibes in the Don Don espresso martini variation.
Prohibition
Truth be told, Prohibition is more about live music, packed crowds, a dreamy backbar, and spacious patio than it is a co*cktail geek’s spot. But it also is home to a huge spirits collection, heavy on whiskeys. And just like my first visit here years ago, get to talking to bartenders amid the musical cacophony and you’ll find a team that cares about spirits. It’s also a restaurant, featuring chef Greg Garrison’s new American food.
Drink This: Beverage director Jim McCourt helms the bar with their signature Old Fashioned, but my favorite is the earthy beet–forward Schrute Sour, a dark red beet-infused vodka, brightened with rosemary, lemon, and egg white. I’ve had many a great beet co*cktail around the world, and this would be one of them. Their drinks run straightforward and easy, but bold, like the Tariff: mezcal, grapefruit, black pepper, and peach bitters.
Little Palm
While service was lackluster on my visit, Little Palm upstairs in the Ryder Hotel is one bright respite for breezy, sunny day co*cktails poolside. In salmon pinks and mint greens, pull up to a wraparound bar or linger by the pool in an outdoor space that feels more classic Hollywood-meets-Miami than it does Charleston.
Drink This: While drinks won’t change your life, they’re good and appropriate by the pool, whether a grassy-fresh Turndown Service (Neisson Rhum Agricole, Chareau aloe liqueur, watermelon, celery, lime) or a playful “frozies” frozen co*cktail section with drinks like Green Light (pear brandy, sauvignon blanc wine, Chareau aloe liqueur, honeydew melon). When asked if I wanted a float of white rum, jalapeno tequila, or pastis on my frozie, I chose the anise-absinthe hit of pastis and did not regret it.
Vintage Lounge
Debuting December 2017, Vintage Lounge is first and foremost a wine bar, named “The Most Beautifully Designed Bar in South Carolina” by Architectural Digest, with original barrel ceiling and faded but glorious gold-leaf design. Feeling historic and Parisian-romantic, the bar pours twenty wines by-the-glass with a 2,000-deep bottle list, including orange wines, cider from Normandy, sparkling, and a range of European wines.
Drink This: Unexpectedly, Vintage Lounge also makes thoughtful, well-crafted co*cktails with expert balance and focus. Case in point: Noble One, a tall, vegetal, gently bittersweet refresher of white port, Salers Gentian aperitif, celery, granny smith apple juice, and lemon. Another highlight is Margarita Vigilante, delicately combining Cimarron tequila, St. George Green Chile vodka, yuzu, and guava juices.
Last Saint
Last Saint comes with caveats. Opened September 2021 by Charleston bartender Joey Goetz (formerly of The Belmont and Bar George), when the bar is busy, it’s deafening, sloppy, and obnoxiously packed (think sticky tables and fellow patrons rudely brushing up against you). Don’t expect much engagement with the staff either, although on a packed night, one poor team member did his best to regularly check in on each table since there is no way any of us could even get to the pretty vintage green bar to order. But on a more chill night/hour, it’s a solid stop in the newer lineup of CHS bars, even if I’d rather be at longtimer The Belmont.
Drink This: While delicious-sounding drinks like Tide Turn’s plum, peppermint, gin, and herbs tasted a bit one-note, and the mezcal-based Ginger #3 was too sweet, co*cktails like Tandem Bike (mezcal, rhubarb, cardamom, lime) were unexpectedly balanced and intriguing. Running a tad too sweet, their signature Old Salt, a Paloma twist described as “fluffy” grapefruit and tequila, offers a welcome amount of salt.
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